Please share this resource list with anyone who might benefit. We will continue to update this list so please contact us if you have additional resources we can add!
Up-to-date Information on COVID-19
The coronavirus and COVID-19 illness situation changes often, so see the following links for accurate information on protecting yourself and staying safe:
- BC Centre for Disease Control—www.bccdc.ca
- Government of Canada—www.canada.ca/coronavirus and the COVID-19 Information Line at 1-833-784-4397
- World Health Organization—www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
- Visit www.healthlinkbc.ca or call 8-1-1 any time of day for health information and resources; Specific COVID-19 information: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-disease-covid-19
- Visit www.flattenthecurve.com for plain language information on reducing the impact of coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness at home and in your community (this resource uses US examples)
Managing COVID-19 Anxiety
Looking Glass Resources
Advice by Kaela: How To Care for Yourself in a Time of Unease: "When we see others panic, it often causes us to panic and the whole cycle continues. When working through recovery this can be even more challenging because it can create a scarcity mindset which can either look very familiar to how we treated ourselves in our eating disorder, or it can trigger more binge like behaviors. Your responsibility to yourself right now is to remind yourself that for the many ways that COVID-19 is affecting your quality of life, food doesn’t need to be one of them."
How to Practice Self-Care During a Time of Uncertainty: "This is a great opportunity to practice some skills that come in handy during Eating Disorder Recovery. I try to look at this all as an experiment- what can I try out today? What worked/didn’t work/felt good/didn’t feel good yesterday? How can I use this time to really get to know myself? I truly believe that these skills will be beneficial in the long run of life."
External Resources
COVID-19 & Your Mental Health: A Comprehensive Resource Guide (Guide from Peak Resilience):" Mental health is just as important as physical health when it comes to responding to COVID-19. Caring for our mental health as individuals and as a community translates into a more effective pandemic response and fewer costs to humans and society as a whole."
What to do if you’re anxious or worried about coronavirus (COVID-19) (Blog from Anxiety Canada): "Life is uncertain. We all know it and it can make people anxious. But there are times when world events bring forward even greater uncertainty in daily life, which in turn can make us even more anxious than usual. The coronavirus outbreak is one of these times for many people. How can you manage this anxiety and worry during these uncertain times? Here are a few suggestions."
COVID-19 & Anxiety (Blog from Here to Help): "It's important to be kind to yourself. This is an anxious and stressful time for everyone, and it's okay if you feel more anxious than usual, and it's okay to take time for yourself to manage your mental health. You are doing the best you can in a time when simply turning on the news can feel overwhelming."
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty (Blog from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention): "It’s important to note that we are not helpless in light of current news events. We can always choose our response. If you are struggling, here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty."
Pandemic Panic: These 5 Steps Can Help You Regain Your Calm
7 Science- Based Strategies to Cope with Coronavirus Anxiety: "To reduce anxiety, I recommend limiting your exposure to coronavirus news to no more than 30 minutes per day. And remember that we become more anxious when faced with situations that have no clear precedent. Anxiety, in turn, makes everything seem more dire."
Eating Disorders & COVID-19
Looking Glass Resources
Advice by Kaela: How To Care for Yourself in a Time of Unease: "When we see others panic, it often causes us to panic and the whole cycle continues. When working through recovery this can be even more challenging because it can create a scarcity mindset which can either look very familiar to how we treated ourselves in our eating disorder, or it can trigger more binge like behaviors. Your responsibility to yourself right now is to remind yourself that for the many ways that COVID-19 is affecting your quality of life, food doesn’t need to be one of them."
External Resources
COVID-19: Tips & Advice for people with an eating disorder (Blog from the Butterfly Foundation): "The current COVID-19 situation is challenging for everyone, and we understand that the prevalent discussions around stock-piling food, increased hygiene measures, food shortages and lock-ins can be incredibly distressing and triggering for people experiencing disordered eating or an eating disorder."
Let Us Eat Cake Podcast: The One About Coronavirus: "In this special episode, Hannah and Ali talk all things coronavirus. In times of stress and uncertainty it makes sense that we look for things to control. One of the things that feels like it is in our control is how we feed and move our bodies… and even that feels threatened in light of grocery store shortages and social distancing recommendations."
Tools, Activities and Workbooks for Managing Anxiety
External Resources
Health Anxiety Workbook for Download (from the Centre of Clinical Interventions): Includes modules on understanding health anxiety, how it develops, what keeps it going, reducing your focus on symptoms and worries, re-evaluating unhelpful health related thinking, reducing checking and reassurance seeking, challenging avoidance safety behaviors, adjusting health rules and assumptions, and healthy living and self-management planning.
Your Creative Journaling Field Guide for Download, created by Errin Witherspoon
The S.T.O.P. Practice for Stress
A 20 Minute Connection Practice (Meditation)
Free Mindfulness and Meditation App: Insight Timer
Free Audio Recording Of RAIN, A Mediation By Tara Brach For Calming Anxiety
Asking Different Questions to Combat the Negative Voice In Your Head
